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Angel Locsin on Mastering the Craft, Nurturing the Gift, and Loving the Job

[PRESS RELEASE]

Angel Locsin is one of country’s leading performers on the Philippine silver screen. She was named Best Actress in the 29th PMPC Awards for Movies in 2013, and has been considered as one of the most awarded dramatic actresses today. From a television and film actress, she has diversified into various media in the entertainment business: as a commercial model, film producer, fashion designer and product endorser.

Angel was recently unveiled as one of the talented gurus who will be molding the next generation of child performers in this season’s Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp. She will be joining the star-studded panel of esteemed mentors backstage: choreographer and G-Force director, Georcelle Dapat-Sy and divine diva Zsa Zsa Padilla. As mentor, Angel will be steering i-Shine participants through the acting workshops.

For 25 years, Promil Pre-School has been well known for talent development, raising awareness for parental participation, proper guidance and good nutrition as factors that play major roles in bringing preschoolers to their full potential. The Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp is one of Promil Pre-school’s advocacies, in which the talents of Filipino children nationwide are engaged. Angel is excited to see how this year’s mentees will fare under her tutelage.

Continuously mastering your craft

One of her most remembered roles is her rendering of the iconic superheroine Darna in the TV adaptation of Mars Ravelo’s classic character. But despite her fame, Angel knows that she didn’t just wake up one morning to success; she had to learn the ropes and work on her craft assiduously – a painstaking process that she knows all budding talents must go through, like the tiny tots of the Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp who will be entrusted into her care.

“Paulit-ulit kong sinasabi na iba yung honor na binibigay sa akin nito bilang isang artista... Yung ma-appreciate ka sa talent mo at yung oportunidad para ma-experience at ma-ishare mo sa mga bata yung mga natutunan mo – yung mga tinuro rin sa akin nung mga naging mentors ko when I was young (I always say that this is a great honor for me as an artist… That of being appreciated for your talent and the opportunity to experience and share to the kids what I’ve learned – those things that I’ve learned from my own mentors when I was young),” she says. “Bawat talent, bawat show, bawat acting piece na ginagawa mo, meron at meron kang nadedevelop na kailangan mo pang i-enhance… Continuous process kasi yung acting (Each talent, each show, each acting piece that a person does, you get to develop something that you would still have to enhance… Acting is a continuous process),” she adds.

The importance of proper nurturing and guidance

While she feels that talent plays a big role in how a child stands out, it’s really the combined effort and diligence taken by the child, parents and teachers that make a difference. “I think there are many talented individuals; but it’s really the masisipag (hardworking) that beat them in the end. So, kailangan talaga ng perserverance (You really need perseverance),” she points out.

Angel also understands how crucial mentoring is in the life of a child. “Natatandaan ko pa yung nursery teacher ko nung bata ako – Hindi ko makakalimutan yung pangalan niya. (I remember my nursery teacher when I was young – I will never forget her name.) That’s how much of an impact she had on me. Nakaka-flatter na baka ganun din yung mangyari sa mga bata. (It’s flattering to think that that could also happen to these kids.) Actually, challenge ito para sa akin na mabigay ko talaga yung dapat matutunan nung mga bata sa maikling panahon (It is actually a challenge for me to give my best so the kids will get the learning they need in such a short amount of time)."

And she doesn’t discount the importance of family support, which she cites as an important factor in her own development as an artist. “I am very blessed na sila yung naging magulang ko sa lahat ng pinagdaanan ko. Hindi kami galing sa showbiz family. Napakasimple lang ng pamilya ko, pero nag-adjust talaga sila ng lifestyle for me para magawa ko ‘tong gusto ko. Napakaswerte ko sa pamilya ko (I am very blessed to have the kind of parents that I have. We are not a showbiz family. My family is simple, but they adjusted their lifestyle for me so that I could reach this far. I’m really lucky to have them).”

And this is why she likewise hopes that the i-Shine finalists will receive the same kind of support from their own. “Sana itong mga bagets natin dito sa i-Shine, sana ganun din yung mga magulang nila na nakasuporta dun sa gusto nung mga anak nila. Hindi dahil sa gusto nila, pero dahil ito yung pangarap nung mga anak nila. Sana i-encourage nila yung mga bata kung papaano mahalin lalo ‘tong craft na ‘to, at i-enjoy pa ‘to kasi mga bata rin naman sila, diba? Ayokong iparamdam sa kanila na ‘this is work’ diba? (I hope the parents support their kids’ interest because this is what their child dreams of doing, not because this is what the parent wants. They should encourage love for this craft and for this kind of work and teach the child how to enjoy it. The kids shouldn’t go through the experience thinking that ‘this is work’ because they are children after all, aren’t they?)” she shares

Achieving success in performing arts through encouragement

Angel has played many popular roles in the past, but her role as the acting mentor for Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp 3 is a first for her career. “Gusto kong bigyan ng opportunity yung mga bata to shine. Sana mahalin nila yung craft, yung industry, at hindi nila isipin na trabaho lang siya (I just want these kids to be given the opportunity to shine. I want them to learn how to love the craft, the industry, and not treat it as just a job),” she shares. “Challenge talaga siya na maturo ko sa mga bata yung kailangan nilang matutunan sa maikling panahon, pero the least I can give them is yung suporta at encouragement na kailangan nila para maabot nila yung full potential nila (It will definitely be a challenge to be able to teach these kids all that I know in such a limited time, but the least I can give them is the support and encouragement that they need to reach their full potential),” she adds.

This season’s i-Shine Talent Camp 3 is hosted by Dimples Romana, Matteo Guidicelli, and Xian Lim. The Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp is also giving away over Php 1 million worth of prizes and a contract from ABS-CBN and Promil Pre-School to the grand winner. The previous year’s Promil Pre-School Grand i-Shiner, Yesha Camille, has received quite a number of television appearances after winning the feat, and is now involved in an upcoming series with her i-Shine mentor Piolo Pascual.